Brent Sutter instilled a team mentality among his Canadian players in the past few days, but the head coach of the national junior team got on a plane to Copenhagen on Sunday night without a clear view of what his final roster will be.

True, Sutter has to cut just three players — or four, or five, depending on the availability of Morgan Rielly and Sean Monahan — to arrive at a 22-man roster, due to the International Ice Hockey Federation on Dec. 25, the day before the 2014 world junior kicks off in Malmo, Sweden.

Injuries could help determine which way Sutter goes, but forward Jonathan Drouin, recovering from a concussion, and defenceman Josh Morrissey, dealing with an undisclosed injury, indicated on Sunday that they should join their teammates during practices this week in Copenhagen.

What we do know is that there will be three extremely disappointed teenagers heading back to Canada in approximately six or seven days. Sutter’s wish is to be close to his final group prior to the second of Canada’s three exhibition games, which falls on Dec. 21 against Sweden.

“From a coach’s perspective, it’s good that it’s not an easy decision to make,” Sutter said. “All these guys deserve to continue to push to try to be on the team, and we need a few more days to (make decisions).”

But consider the first stage of Sutter’s grand plan to get Canada back to the podium, and a gold medal, to be a success. In recent years at the selection camp, there hasn’t been the feeling of togetherness that existed during the past several days at the MasterCard Centre.

Paring the initial camp list to 25 players from 35-plus, so far, has worked.

“You are familiar with all of the guys, so that sense of comfort is there,” forward Sam Reinhart said. “There are not too many guys who didn’t know each other coming in, with various prior camps or tournaments. And even if you didn’t, after one on-ice session, everyone was comfortable.”

Of the 25, just two — forwards Josh Anderson and Taylor Leier — had zero previous experience with Hockey Canada’s Program of Excellence.

And though some wonder if age will be a factor, remember that 10 players are captain with their club teams, and nine are alternates. That 11 players would be eligible to play for Canada at the 2015 world junior in Toronto and Montreal doesn’t lead to concern that they might not be wise enough to collectively perform in crucial situations in Malmo.

“We do have a younger team than they have had in the past here, but part of it is because we have such a strong 18-year-old group across our country,” Sutter said. “We are certainly going to be a younger team, but it does not bother me at all because they are good players and they are the best.”

Experience in the world junior comes in the form of players such as goalie Jake Paterson, defenceman Griffin Reinhart and Drouin, the three holdovers from the team that was fourth in Ufa, Russia, a year ago. Figure on each of the trio spreading the world-junior gospel to their teammates.

“For sure,” Drouin said. “It will be a big part of my game. You can’t take a day off. Those tournaments are so short and so quick. If you have one bad period, it can be over.”

Defenceman Mathew Dumba will be in a somewhat unique position, given that he was cut the past two years but also could be the lone NHL player loaned to the team. His experience comes from a different avenue, but will be just as valuable.

Once the team lands in Europe, Sutter will set out to put the second stage of the preparation in motion.

“You can work on all these things, but if they are not bonding and not becoming close-knit, it can all be pretty irrelevant,” Sutter said. “We need everyone buying in, and the kids have been great. They have been good with each other.

“Now, it’s just getting them to mesh again, getting them to understand what we are about, how we play.”

'WE ALL KNOW WHAT OUR GOALS ARE'

No gold medal since 2009.

But did the Canadians depart North America on Sunday night with the expectation they will win gold on Jan. 5, the final day of the 2014 world junior in Malmo, Sweden?

“Our goals are ... to be quite honest, I don’t even have to answer that question,” coach Brent Sutter said. “We all know what our goals are. And yet those aren’t accomplished unless you take care of the little things, the day-to-day things.

“We will worry about the final outcome as it gets there. Right now, we have a lot of work ahead of us.”

Said goalie Jake Paterson: “The biggest thing is just how tough a tournament it is to win with the one-game elimination once you get into the medal round. That’s what I took (out of being the third-string goalie on the team that was fourth last winter). Hopefully, it comes together for us.”

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Canada's world junior hopefuls 'comfortable'

Brent Sutter instilled a team mentality among his Canadian players in the past few days, but the head coach of the national junior team got on a plane to Copenhagen on Sunday night without a clear view of what his final roster will be.

True, Sutter has to cut just three players — or four, or five, depending on the availability of Morgan Rielly and Sean Monahan — to arrive at a 22-man roster, due to the International Ice Hockey Federation on Dec. 25, the day before the 2014 world junior kicks off in Malmo, Sweden.

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When the Maple Leafs return to practice on Friday at the MasterCard Centre, the focus will be preparing for a road game on Saturday night in Boston against the Bruins.Don’t think, however, that a 3-2 loss against the Minnesota Wild on Wednesday will be forgotten completely. There were lessons for the Leafs in the game that they will take forward.